When the pieces don't fit
by Sarrick Bridle
Summary: The hardest cases to solve are the ones where the pieces don’t seem to fit. Especially when it involves some of your own. (WS)
1. Policemen's Ball

**When the pieces don't fit**

The hardest cases to solve are the ones where the pieces don't seem to fit.

Disclaimer: of course I don't own any of these characters, otherwise the tv show would be a little different. ï

Grissom walked into the break room and noticed his team ready for their assignments. Greg was showing Nick some new technological gadget while Catherine waited patiently, going over her on going investigation files. Gil smiled at her work ethic before moving on to the other two members of the team. Warrick Brown and Sara Sidle were talking casually, passing the time.

"Alright, Nick you've got a DB out on Henderson. Take Greg with you, he'll need some practice before he gets cleared for Level I." Grissom directed, getting their attention.

"Yeah!" Greg shouted exuberantly, excited to be going on in the field. He had been there before, once with Catherine, but that was different. She had picked him only because she wouldn't take Nick or Sara. This time it was official.

"Come on Cowboy." Nick laughed, pulling the energetic lab tech out of the meeting. He remembered his first cases out in the field. He didn't mind being paired with the young technician, besides with the caseloads they've been handling lately, they could use all the help they could get.

"Cath," Grissom continued as Sara and Warrick settled back on the couch to wait. "You're with me. We've got a high profile murder out in San Calas."

"Alright." She exclaimed shutting her folders. "I'll meet you in five out by my car." Grissom finished. He turned to the last two CSI's. "Sara, Warrick in my office." He directed before abruptly leaving the room.

Nick overheard Grissom's command as he passed by on his way out. He shot the two a knowing smirk of sympathy. Sara and Warrick ignored the Texan and reluctantly followed their boss down the hallway, a little worried when he pulled the door closed behind them.

The meeting didn't last long, and Sara Sidle managed to keep her anger in until they arrived outside. "What the hell?" She fumed as soon as she stepped onto the parking lot. Warrick let her get her anger out, knowing full well what would happen if she didn't.

"They get a high profile murder and we have to play prom!" She shouted in disbelief, watching Catherine and Grissom drive away. She couldn't believe he would have the nerve or the doubt in their abilities to send them to the policemen's ball.

"I don't want to spend all evening listening to some pompous speeches on how crime is down in Las Vegas and how we should push for pay increases for top police officials any more than you, but at least we get a night out on company time." Warrick said, trying to soothe her as he got in his Denali. Sara rolled her eyes at his passiveness. 'Besides I get to see you in a dress.' Wisely, he kept that thought to himself. Also wise was the fact that he was driving. In her current mood, the odds of them even arriving at the dinner tonight alive were decidedly not in their favor.

"Did you go to your prom?" He asked the still fuming brunette, trying to make conversation.

"No, I didn't go to the prom." She said defensively as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Why not?" He probed. "No one asked you?" he wondered incredulously, guessing when she didn't answer right away. From his view, he couldn't imagine Sara having changed so much since high school that she would have had a hard time finding dates.

"When I was in high school, I was a tall, skinny, quiet jock with no boobs." She stated matter of factly.

"Besides," she continued, "proms are for pretty people, not smart bookworms like me." Sara remarked without thinking.

"Who told you that?" He demanded of her, with a look on his face Sara couldn't identify. She had never seen Warrick so furious. She realized too late that she had said too much, but knew she couldn't, wouldn't refuse him the answer.

"My father." She replied simply. "He told me it was a good thing I was so damn smart because I wouldn't have the advantages of marriage to support me." Warrick was stunned by her admission. The fact alone was astonishing, but also the point that she had opened up to him was quite amazing too. He didn't know what was harder to believe; that her father had told her that or that she had believed it.

He was surprised when she kept on. "He always pushed me to study harder, get better grades." "Leaving little time for a social life." He filled in for her. "Exactly." She confirmed. He let her sit in silence as she stared out the window.

"Isn't he proud of you now?" Warrick asked his partner.

"I wouldn't know. I haven't seen him since I graduated Harvard." She said without much emotion.

"Well he should be. You're beautiful, and smart, one of the top CSI's on a top CSI unit in the country." HE continued to list off her attributes, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Thanks Warrick. I appreciate the effort." She said to him, finally cracking a smile for the first time that day as they arrived at the boutique.

"I promise we're going to have a great time okay?" He turned on his full charm as they entered the store. "Let's just make the most of it." She conceded to at least try to have fun at the policeman's function they were required to attend.

"What's wrong with that one?" Warrick complained after the sixth dress didn't make it out of her dressing room. "For someone who doesn't wear dresses, you're being really picky."

"I'm sorry." Came the soft reply from the other side of the door. "I just want the perfect one." Warrick could have kicked himself. She was genuinely trying to enjoy herself and he was not helping the situation.

"Pick the one you like, the department is picking up the tab." He reminded her. Sara stared at her reflection one last time. Confident she hung up the dress and exited the dressing room.

"All that and I don't get to see it?" He teased in mock disbelief. "Patience War. You'll see it soon enough. And just for the record, I'm immune to whining. I work with Nick almost everyday, remember?" Her usual light banter and good humor had returned and he laughed at her description of their friend.

He dropped her off at her house as they agreed to meet up at 6:15pm at the lab. Catherine had made them promise to stop in before they left. Sara didn't want to parade through the whole lab, but the limo was picking them up there, so she didn't really have a choice.

Nick let out a good-natured whistle, as Warrick appeared clean and groomed in his tailored tuxedo. The well-dressed CSI rolled his eyes as he waited for his date to arrive. 'I can't believe I'm actually going on a date with Sara.' He thought to himself before reality came crashing back to life. 'A mandatory date.' He reminded himself, knowing she hadn't been too keen on going to the policeman's ball. She has assured him it had nothing to do with the company; it's just that these benefits were something she typically tried to avoid. The team made small talk until Sara arrived.

Sara was incredibly nervous. She felt silly going into the lab wearing this floor length gown. It was a gorgeous black halter dress that clung to her curves with a slit up the thigh to maximize movement. A pair of high heels showed off her long legs, and her hair was pinned up loosely on top of her head. Simple silver jewelry completed the ensemble and even she had to admit she looked stunning. She couldn't wait to see Warrick. He looked good in his everyday clothes, so seeing him in a tuxedo would not be a hardship. "This isn't so bad.' She kept reminding herself as she got up the courage to walk through the doors.

The sound of high heels alerted everyone to her arrival and they all turned to look at her as she entered the room. All her bravado vanished as she blushed bright red at their staring. "Wow." Warrick was the first one to speak. "You look incredible." He murmured as he tried to take some attention off of her.

"Sara-you look amazing." Nick managed to get out while still staring at his usually conservatively dressed co-worker. "Well done." Catherine added her compliments as she gazed at her friends. The two of them made a striking pair. Warrick, tall and strong and handsome, Sara, fair, lean and sexy.

Sara noticed that Grissom didn't dare show his face, and she was glad. She didn't want to have any more arguments; she was resigned to her circumstances. But maybe Warrick was right, maybe tonight wouldn't be so bad. Spending time with Warrick was certainly not a bad thing. "We've got to be going." Warrick announced, dragging his beautiful date away from the men of the lab. "Have fun at work." Sara teased as she let Warrick take her arm and escort her out. Their goodbyes were brief as everyone had cases to handle.

The limousine was waiting as promised at the front entrance. They didn't notice the driver as he held the door open for them and they climbed in.

"I could get used to this." She said in awe, taking in the glass ceiling, furnished bar, and entertainment system. "I don't think the city would like to trade in our Denalis for limos." Warrick cracked. The two settled into an easy conversation as the limo pulled away from the CSI building.

"Hey Sar-where is this benefit tonight?" He asked, knowing she paid more attention to detail than himself.

"At the Hilton." She replied simply. Warrick took a look at the surroundings as they sped down the road, his eyes not hiding their confusion. Sara picked up on his uncertainty and asked, "Why?"

"That's what five minutes from the lab?" He stated without answering her question. He glanced at his watch. "We've been in the limo for about fifteen minutes." She hadn't realized that much time had passed.

"I didn't notice." She admitted shyly. "Neither did I." He confessed, enjoying watching her blush.

"Maybe we should tell the driver. Maybe he's lost." She decided. "As much as I hate to not show up, Grissom would kill us if we didn't show." Warrick remarked in agreement.

Sara banged on the glass separating them from the driver to get his attention but to no avail. They were stuck. He decided to try to remain optimistic despite the turn in events. It was out of their control now. "Maybe Grissom set this all up." He joked. "More champagne?" He offered cheerfully. She didn't buy his act of course but she went along with it nonetheless.

The driver had heard the banging but ignored it. Instead he flipped on the ventilation system to drown out any more noises. It had been a direct order to make sure they made it to their meeting location. He wasn't willing to gamble his freedom for theirs. They continued their conversation not noticing the soft hiss that was invading their space.

Warrick's concerns turned to real fear when he saw the sign "leaving Las Vegas". Before he could mention it, the sound of glass breaking got his attention. "Sara!" He shouted as he saw her slumped over the back seat of the limo. Her champagne glass lay broken in pieces on the floor. A few shards had managed to cut her hand much to his shock as he watched the blood slowly drip onto the floor. "What the hell?" He muttered completely bewildered, "Why isn't she moving?" he questioned to himself as he positioned himself closer to get a better look. Only 10 seconds later, he was unconscious on the floor of the limo.

The driver peered at the rear view mirror and was satisfied with the two unmoving bodies in the back of his limo and quickly sped away without anyone suspecting a thing. By the time anyone noticed the pair missing, he would be long gone.

A/N: thanks for reading. The next chapter will be more exciting I promise. Please review.


	2. Two of Their Own

Chapter 2: Two of their own

The next morning...

"Do you care to explain why CSI was not represented last night at the benefit?" Captain Brass demanded as he stormed into Grissom's office.

"What do you mean?" Grissom asked confused. "I sent Sara and Warrick." He answered calmly.

"Sara and Warrick?" Brass repeated. Now it was his turn to be confused. The two of them wouldn't not show up. He didn't want to worry Grissom unnecessarily until he had more details. Maybe there had been a problem. "When does shift start?" he asked the supervisor.

"Fifteen minutes." Grissom replied. "Have Sara and Warrick come see me when they get in." Brass said gruffly as he exited the office. Grissom didn't seem overly concerned with Brass's random appearance.

"Hey Jamie. Get me a copy of the check in sheet from the dinner last night." He directed his secretary who quickly jumped to the task.

He sat at his desk waiting quietly, hoping he was worried over nothing. She laid the sheets on his desk. Jim scanned the sheets and found the names Brown and Sidle. He was not relieved to discover that they had not signed in. "I don't get it." He muttered to himself. The clock read 9:55 pm. Five more minutes, would tell if his worries were founded.

10:10 PM and still no phone call. Brass headed back to the CSI lab to find Sara and Warrick.

Grissom found him first. "Sorry Jim-they're not here yet." He apologized. "Isn't that weird?" Jim questioned anxiously. "Things happen." Grissom shrugged as he headed off to check with Catherine on the progress of their case. "Why isn't he more concerned?" Brass wondered. He didn't have enough time to ponder Grissom's odd behavior; his mind was more wrapped up in finding Warrick and Sara.

Before Jim could leave the building his phone rang. "Brass." He answered. "Read me the plates." He ordered a few seconds later. He copied down the message and headed himself toward the video room. "Archie, play me the outside surveillance tape from last night. Start when the limo pulls up." He directed the young tech agent. Archie obeyed in his usual quiet manner, not asking questions, just doing his job.

Video played on the big screen. "Stop." Brass demanded as the limo appeared. "Read me the plates from the limo." He commanded after confirming that Sara and Warrick had gotten inside that limo.

"J as in John. L as in Larry. V as in Vegas. 2-5-8." Archie read off the screen. Jim stared at his sheet in disbelief. It was a match. Now he was full out worried.

"What's going on Jim?" Grissom demanded as he saw that his supervisor was still in the lab.

"Have your team meet me in the conference room." He ordered solemnly. Grissom obeyed and went to gather his team. Brass meanwhile got back on his phone. He hit the redial button, "Yeah, I confirmed it." He reported regretfully. "I'm letting them know now. Get all extra units out on this case."

He hung up the phone as he entered the conference room. "What's going on Griss?" Catherine wanted to know what was costing her time on the big case. Gil could understand her frustration. He was eager to get back to work not be dragged over the coals over two of his employee's tardiness. He tried to not look impatient while waiting for Brass to explain.

"Shouldn't we wait for Warrick and Sara?" Nick Stokes questioned the captain.

"That's why we're here." Brass announced suddenly much to their confusion. "They never made it to the benefit last night."

"What?" Catherine shouted. "We saw them leave last night." She protested strongly. Grissom's impatience faded quickly as it was replaced by concern.

"Their limo was found abandoned outside of Henderson in the desert." Brass informed their teammates regretfully.

Nick was stunned. He couldn't form a coherent thought, let alone ask any questions. He put his head in his hands, letting the statement sink in. The high profile murder case quickly flew out of Grissom and Catherine's minds. Two of their own were missing, and they were completely baffled.

"Let's get out to the scene." Grissom decided, gently urging the remaining of his team out the door. "I'll drive." Brass declared and the four plus Greg set out for the desert.


	3. TwentyFour Hours

Twenty-Four Hours

"Take it slow." Grissom pleaded with his team. "We can't afford to make any errors. We're going to need all the evidence we can get." The supervisor decided.

"Nick-swab the doors for prints. Cath, check for footprints." He ordered further. The two went to complete their tasks as quickly as possible, to send any preliminary evidence back to the lab.

"I've got two sets over here." The blonde CSI shouted. "Maybe they just walked away." Greg suggested hopefully.

"Sara was wearing heels." She reminded the optimistic lab tech. "these two prints are definitely male." She opined, pointing at the prints.

"What do we know?" Grissom asked, he liked facts not guesses or opinions.

"What I know, is that Sara didn't walk out of here." Catherine's words caused Grissom's heart to sink into his stomach. "And Warrick?" He had to ask. "Not likely." She sighed frustrated, shaking her head.

"Outside of the car is cleared." Nick called before opening the back door of the limo. He sprayed the inside of the limo with a thermal heat spray to detect where they had been positioned. As the liquid turned to dust and settled, there appeared two outlines of the two bodies, one across the back seat, and the other on the floor.

"There doesn't appear to have been a struggle." Catherine observed over Nick's shoulder.

"Why's that?" Grissom probed. "No fingerprints on the windows or door handles, no pieces of clothing left behind. It's all clean." Catherine replied.

"Maybe there was something in their drinks." Nick offered his theory, seeing the open champagne bottle and one glass still half full.

"This outline appears to be Sara. She was lying on the bench with her left arm hanging off. Her champagne glass is on the floor." Greg added as he noted where her body had been positioned.

"It's broken." Grissom noted as he bent down to retrieve the glass and put it in a bag. "But no traces of blood anywhere." He commented as he scanned the carpet.

"Maybe it fell on Warrick. His outline is on the floor." Greg suggested.

"What was he doing on the floor?" Nick inquired bewildered.

"If there were something in their drinks, Sara would be affected quicker, seeing as she weighs less than Warrick." Catherine stated factually.

"Again, why was Warrick on the floor?" Nick wanted to know.

"I'd venture to say, knowing Warrick, that he probably was checking on Sara before he collapsed on the floor." Grissom guessed, following Catherine's logic.

"So, if their drinks were sabotaged, than they had no idea they were in trouble." Nick continued on with his theory.

"And no chance to escape." Catherine added in, starting to believe in that theory.

"We'll find out once we test the champagne." Grissom sent an officer back to the lab with the bottle they recovered from the limo.

Okay, so what happened after they got here?" Catherine asked, looking to explore the crime scene beyond the limo. "How did they leave?" She wondered.

"Hey!" Greg shouted from a few feet away. "What is it Greg?" Grissom asked as he walked quickly to the CSI in training.

"I think I found how they left the scene." He declared, pointing at the tracks on the ground. Catherine took photographs of the evidence while Nick studied it. "They're not fresh." The Texan mused out loud.

"Which means it fits our timeline. The limo hijacked them from headquarters, knocked them unconscious, and abandoned the limo here." Grissom explained as some facts started to line up. "It's about a forty minute drive so, they left here after 7:30pm last night." He concluded logically.

"Which means they are twenty fours ahead of us." Nick stated reluctantly. His statement urged the rest of the team to work faster and harder, knowing time was precious.

"War." She mumbled as she forced her eyes open only to face a dimly lit darkness. She noticed the cool air that woke her up instantly and the hard floor beneath her. "Warrick." She repeated more alert this time as fear threatened to take over as she searched in vain for her friend.

"Over here Sara." He called out finally. Squinting her eyes she saw him leaning against the far wall. She struggled to her feet and quickly scurried to his side. She found him with her feet first, her eyes still getting used to the darkness and toppled over in her heels to land awkwardly on Warrick. Luckily he was ready for her fall and caught her with his arms and gently lowered to the ground beside him. "Are you okay?" she whispered as she held tightly to his hand to reassure herself that he was there and that he was alright since she could only see a shadow of him.

"Yeah." He muttered. "How's your hand?" Warrick remembered her bleeding before everything went black. "Fine." She lied even as she ignored the searing pain. She was more concerned about him and getting out of there rather than her own injuries, which she thought to be inconsequential.

"Sara." He repeated slowly even as he reached for her. Her recoil gave her away as she pulled her hand away. "You've been bleeding out since the limo." He said in concern. He proved that when he felt the sticky liquid on her hand as he gently caressed it to check for any other injuries.

He didn't have to wait long for her protest. "It hasn't been that long." She protested weakly, suddenly realizing she had no real concept of how long it had actually been. Her statement caused him to pause from ripping his shirt to check his watch. He blinked to make sure he wasn't seeing things. 'Maybe it's broken.' He wondered hopefully, before the soft ticking contradicted that thought.

"Warrick." Sara's soft voice snapped him out of his trance. He wanted to lie to her but he knew it would do neither of them any good. They needed to be honest and realistic in order to get through this ordeal.

"It's been over twenty four hours." He stated in response to her unspoken question. His mind reminded him of the task at hand, and he was worried when he realized that she had been bleeding for just as long. He wrapped his shirt gently over her wounded hand but didn't move to let it go.

'For such a strong man, he was so gentle.' She thought as she lost herself for a moment in his touch. She threw that thought out; disgusted with herself for letting down her guard when they needed to be on top mentally to figure a way out of the mess they were in.

He noticed her reaction but didn't admit to his own feelings. 'This is not the time Brown.' Regardless of how they both felt, they could not use the time now to indulge themselves. He forced himself to think through their situation.

"Shift started an hour ago. I'm sure they noticed we're not there and went looking for us." He said trying to convince himself and Sara.

"I don't know. The only thing Grissom and Catherine have been noticing is their high profile case." Sara argued bitterly. He didn't bother to correct her, knowing she needed someone to blame, since their captors were phantoms to them.

"How are they going to find us?" Her voice cracked as fear got the best of her. "We have no idea of where we are, who took us or why!" She shouted as she started pacing the small cell they were enclosed in.

"Sara!" Warrick spoke loudly to stop her tirade. He grabbed one of her flailing arms as she passed by and tugged gently. She reluctantly let him draw her back down. "We know better than anyone, that they'll find the evidence and us." He declared confidently.

"Yeah." She whispered as she let her head fall on his shoulder. She was grateful he was being so calm, especially when her emotions were out of control. The two sat in silence, Sara returning to her usual rational self as her mind raced to make sense of everything that had happened.

"Let's recap." Grissom suggested as he gathered the rest of the team around the limo. They had collected all the evidence from the scene and were about to return to the lab to process the evidence.

"Sara and Warrick left the building yesterday in the limo at 6:40pm." Catherine began repeating the timeline Grissom had created.

"Assuming they didn't stop anywhere, "Nick commented, "They were knocked unconscious in the limo and driven here." He finished.

"Then they were taken by another vehicle somewhere else after 7:30 pm." Greg added. What was left unsaid was the fact that it was now twenty-four hours later. Grissom knew that people don't just disappear. If, and it appears that's what happened, they were taken, they were in real danger.

The group was silent as they drove back to the CSI building. Nick sighed and prayed that the evidence would lead them to Sara and Warrick. All other cases were forgotten as their minds raced to make the pieces fit. However the pieces were few. Right now they had more questions than answers. Hopefully the next few hours would help put them together and make sense of this terrible puzzle.


	4. Dead Ends

Dead End

Catherine was glad to come into work, even coming in hours early. Though she hated having to investigate the case they were working on, it was easier than not investigating and staying at home. She had spent many sleepless hours last night wondering what happened to her two colleagues. There were so many questions running through her mind that couldn't be answered without evidence. That said, she dropped Lindsey off at a sitter and drove to work.

She wasn't surprised to see Grissom and Nick's vehicles already in the parking lot. It comforted her to know they were feeling the same way as she; but it also disturbed her. She knew that all the extra hours were needed to crack the case of Sara and Warrick's disappearance. She had to fight her fear for her friends and concentrate on the evidence that would lead them to the pair. However this case was proving harder than they imagined, but they refused to give up hope.

"Trace came back negative on the champagne and the glasses." Grissom offered her as a greeting as she quickly found the two men in the lab with Greg and Bobby.

"Meaning they weren't poisoned." She commented, filling in the pieces.

"At least not by ingestion." Grissom corrected her. There were numerous ways to be poisoned.

"Whatever knocked Sara and Warrick out is still in the car." Nick decided, hoping they could find some evidence.

"And the limo is out in the garage." Grissom suggested none too subtly. Nick took the hint and went to put on some overalls. Catherine joined him, as she needed something physical to rest her mind a bit. She was tired of dwelling on questions and doubts, when she needed some hard evidence to soothe her fears.

"No prints on the doors." Nick called out in disappointment. Catherine wasn't so quick to give up on fingerprints. "Check the steering wheel. It was 92 degrees out the other day. Maybe he took his gloves off." She suggested.

'We can hope.' He muttered as he dusted off the wheel along with the door handle, rearview mirror, and radio. As he dusted the dashboard he slipped and bumped his head.

"Are you okay?" Catherine called from the backseat. "Just a little dusty." He replied with a grimace, shaking off the pain. Nick brushed off the dust that had landed on him. Or what he thought was dust out of the vents. Living as a bachelor he knew what dust looked like, and this certainly wasn't dust he concluded upon closer inspection. He quickly unscrewed the vent and placed it an evidence bag.

"What have you got?" Grissom's voice interrupted their investigation as he entered the garage.

"How." Nick replied simply as he rushed the bag to the lab.

"How are you holding up Cath?" Grissom asked gently. She was just like him, working on the forensics to cover up for the emotional part of the case. He had half a mind to send her home when she came in this morning, but he realized it was cathartic for the rest of the team to continue working. Just knowing they were trying to help find Sara and Warrick helped them from losing it completely.

"I just don't understand it Gil." She replied puzzled. "Who took Sara and Warrick? Why did they take them? How did they know they were going to be in the limo? I mean we only told them the day of the event." She listed off all the questions she had in her head. They were the same ones that had kept Gil up all night as well.

"They wouldn't have had time to plan something so quickly." Grissom agreed.

They were still no closer to the answers than before. Until Catherine made her next question, that hadn't even crossed his mind.

"What if?" She began as she continued to form the question in her head. "What if, whoever took Sara and Warrick really meant to take us?" She suggested uncertainly. She didn't think she could live with herself if they were in danger because of her.

"A case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time?" He offered back. "Maybe you're onto something Cath. Let's go crosscheck our cases." The two left the limo unfinished and went to do some research.

"How's it going?" Nick asked as he waited with Greg to process the evidence.

"The second set of tracks belongs to a '92 Chevy work truck." Greg stated with confidence. "Great, that should narrow it down." Nick groaned in disappointment. 'When are we going to get a break?' he sighed. Speaking of breaks, he had been working non-stop for four hours. He headed to the break room for some coffee until the results came back from the fingerprints or the vent.

She had woken up several times during the night shivering because of the cold. She finally woke Warrick up with her movement because he threw his jacket over her and pulled her into his arms and she had been powerless to stop him. She quickly realized though that she didn't want to stop him. She hadn't quite realized how strong he was, but she fell asleep with a feeling of security and didn't wake up again until the morning.

Warrick had been awake for a while, but he watched Sara as she slept. Somehow in the middle of the night she had turned in her sleep and now was resting with her face in his chest and her arms tightly wrapped around his middle. He rubbed his hands over her back absently, taking comfort as much as he was giving it. She awoke a few minutes later and he watched as a myriad of emotions played over her face as she realized the intimate position they were in. She looked embarrassed and he wanted to reassure her before she went into full on freak out mode.

"Sara." He began gently as he tried to explain. "Shh." She commented, trying to enjoy the last few moments of relaxation. "It's okay Warrick." She announced, much to his surprise.

"What, did you think I would be mad?" She continued puzzled. "I didn't know." He replied honestly. "We both needed it." She said reassuringly. "Besides it's a crazy situation." She shrugged it off.

He groaned in disappointment. He knew she would say that. "What?" She asked curiously. 'Was it her imagination or did he look disappointed?' She thought as she now watched his expression change.

"It's not just the situation for me." He admitted cautiously, hoping she wouldn't be angry at his confession. She noticed his hesitation and felt guilty that he was worried she would be upset. She knew she had to reply and let him know how she felt.

"Look Warrick, I don't know what's going to happen once we get out of here, hell I don't even know what's going on inside of here." Sara spoke of their current situation, pulling out of his arms to clear up the issue. "But relationships can be aversely affected by stressful circumstances and I'm not willing to screw this up."

'Did that mean she isn't mad?' His mind raced to try to understand. 'Did that mean that she had feelings for me as well?' He wondered hopefully.

He didn't know if she meant a possible romance or their friendship specifically. "What are you saying?" Warrick demanded, he needed, wanted an honest answer.

"I'm saying if we get out of here and this works, then Great. If it doesn't, it's not going to affect our friendship." She promised. It hit him just then that despite her honesty with her feelings, she was still feeling a little insecure and anxious. She was giving them both an escape clause.

He thought she knew where he stood on the possibility of a romance, but decided to remind her. "Let's stop talking." He whispered. She looked at him in confusion until he lowered his head and his lips covered hers softly. If the circumstances weren't so tragic, he believed he could have stayed like that for a long time. When he pulled away he chuckled at her loss of words.

She recovered quickly. "How did we get in here anyhow? There's no door." After a long, restless night, her analytical mind needed to go back to work. And after waking up next to Warrick, she was desperate to change the subject. Not that she minded, but she couldn't afford to let herself dwell any further on that topic until they were free. He wasn't offended by her change of topic, even going along with it obligingly.

Warrick pointed up. "One way in. One way out." He answered grimly. "Which explains the soreness." Sara muttered as she stretched her tired and cramped, not to mention uncomfortable body. But at least she wasn't cold anymore, which is how they found themselves in this situation in the first place.

"Let's try to work this out." He suggested, mainly passing the time, but also because of curiosity. If they could place their captors, then they would know who they were dealing with and how to proceed with their situation. Granted they had no control over what was happening, but if they knew who their captors were, they might gain an advantage by playing on their weaknesses.

"Why?" was the most logical place to start, he figured. "Maybe they were really after Catherine and Grissom?" She suggested opening up their discussion.

"Do we look like Catherine and Grissom?" Warrick commented sarcastically. "It's not like people don't know who we are. Just the opposite in fact." He reminded her. How many times had they been stopped on the street

"So if they had been the target there would have been a switch." Sara admitted reluctantly.

"Which means we were the target." Warrick confirmed her suspicions.

"Okay." She relented, "But how did they know we would be the ones going to the ball? All anybody knew was that Catherine and Grissom were going. And we didn't know until the day of." Sara argued logically.

A fearful thought crossed his mind. "Unless..." he began, debating whether or not to even say it aloud.

Sara noticed his hesitation and wanted to hear his theory, not matter what. "Unless," she guided him.

"Someone on the inside tipped them off." He said reluctantly, hating how it sounded.

She swallowed hard at his unimaginable suggestion. "You think?"

"I don't know what to think." He admitted in frustration. "It just doesn't make sense." The pair settled in comfortably next to each other and continued to wait. Either for someone to rescue them or for themselves to figure a way out. Or the unenviable event of their captors coming back for them.

Catherine and Grissom carried a large box of files into the break room. Bobby had sorted through all the case files on the computer and had come up with a potential list of suspects. Grissom read off the names on the list as Catherine cross-referenced them with their files. They had been in there for a while with no luck so far.

"Parker?" Grissom asked, remembering the husband who had killed his wife so he could marry another woman.

"Deceased." Catherine replied in surprise as she stared at the death certificate.

"Jefferson?" Grissom tried again, reading the next file.

"Nevada Correctional Institute." She informed him. "Still has two life terms to serve."

"Miller?" He questioned, starting to get frustrated. It was the last name on the list.

"Rehab." She answered in disbelief.

"Dead end." He declared grimly. Catherine threw the final file back into the box. Nick came back for a second cup of coffee and noted the looks of distress on his co-workers faces.

"Maybe they were carjacked?" Nick suggested, desperately clinging to hope. "A random attack?" He asked doubtfully. In truth it was not out of the question. Unfortunately there were so many things they couldn't rule out until they had more evidence. The trio was silent as they searched their brains for the next step to take in their investigation.

The silence was broken as the eager lab tech rushed into the room, the doors bouncing off the walls with a bang announcing his arrival. "I've got a match on the fingerprints from the steering wheel." Greg announced optimistically. That got their attention. Maybe something would finally go their way.


	5. Johnny, Joy, and James

Pieces5

Johnny, Joy, and James

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, keep them coming! I enjoyed writing this chapter, which explains why it's so lengthy. Hope there is enough Sara/Warrick interaction for you, I'm trying, but there will be more in the future. Enjoy!

Nick, Grissom, and Catherine all stopped in their tracks. This one answer could unlock the entire investigation. "Well?" Grissom urged the lab tech to spill his information.

"Johnny Adams." Greg replied quickly, not recognizing the name instantly, but hoping the others would.

"Why does that name sound so familiar?" Grissom asked puzzled. Nick too thought the name familiar. A minute later it hit him. "We've been looking in the wrong case files." Grissom commented suddenly to Catherine in disbelief. Her eyes opened wide at the unexpected realization.

"So they were after Sara and Warrick." She spoke up softly. The three remaining night shifters sat there as the information overwhelmed them. Often they came across angry and vindictive people that they had convicted, but this time they crossed the line by going after two of their own.

Greg came back with a large box of files. "Damn, I didn't know Sara and Warrick had so many cases together." Nick commented as he gazed upon the files. Grissom secretly agreed, but knew they worked well together, which is why he usually paired them together. He grabbed the file under Adams.

"I remember them." Nick stated quietly. "Open and shut case for Sara and Warrick." He recalled that night well, even though it was over a year ago. He had been exhausted after his shift, one where he and Grissom had spent most of the night chasing a mobile crime scene. He had come back to the lab to find the two of them handing in their paperwork and signing out. He wished he was that lucky, he had thought with a sigh, realizing he had hours of work still ahead. Now he was lucky he hadn't gotten that case. That notion didn't cheer him as he thought of his two friends who needed their help.

"Aren't they still in jail?" Catherine wondered in confusion, she too remembering that case well.

Grissom was silent as he finished reading the report. "Grissom?" Catherine called out to get his attention. "It says here, they were released from jail on Monday." He said looking up to note the same anxious looks in their eyes that he knew were in his.

"For first degree murder?" She exclaimed incredulously. "Lack of forensic evidence." Greg spoke up, walking through the door to make another pot of coffee.

"Are you kidding me?" Nick almost yelled in disbelief. "Sara and Warrick had tons of evidence." The Texan argued. The two of them were compulsive about their evidence, if anyone had a nail tight case it would be Sara and Warrick.

"Cite your source." Grissom demanded Greg. Most of the lab tech's information came from lab gossip or other unreliable sources. He had to know if this was reliable, hoping all the while that it wasn't. The implications of it being true were too horrific to accept.

"Heard it on the 11 o'clock news. The story broke a few days ago. I called Brass to verify. He's on his way." He replied seriously. Even the normally cheerful tech could not find any joy in this case. Horror turned to acceptance as Brass arrived and confirmed the story.

"Shit." Nick swore. They were dealing with two dangerous criminals who would stop at nothing. Apparently their freedom wasn't enough.

'How the hell did that get by me?' Grissom thought to himself. He always knew what was going in on the lab. Then he remembered his most recent case, the one that had forced him to send Warrick and Sara in his and Catherine's place to the policemen's ball. It had been a high profile murder, and if he were honest it had occupied most of his thoughts. He recalled guiltily how he had been irritated at Brass's intrusion a few days ago until he had found out that Warrick and Sara had gone missing. Now two of his CSI's were missing, and he wondered if he were not partly to blame.

"Can we get a trace on Joy and Johnny's number?" Nick wondered. "Find out who they were calling. They had help that's for damn sure."

"I'll get Archie." Catherine decided and rushed out to get the number one audio/visual technician.

"We can run it through the computer." Archie suggested when asked, sitting down to type it in. "Here's the number they called the most: 603-692-8851." He reported, reading the screen. "Last call was on Monday at 12:17 PM."

"About six hours before Sara and Warrick disappeared." Greg declared.

Archie looked strangely ill as he recognized the number. "Can we find out who made the call?" Grissom asked as they waited for the results to appear. Archie was frozen in his spot until Grissom called out to him. "Archie?" The supervisor inquired concerned.

"It came from this building." He stated regretfully as he looked at the rest of the team. They were silent as they waited for him to continue. "Down in final forensics."

"He works in final forensics." Nick spat out, as anger slowly burned its way through him. "The bastard works in our building!" He shouted this time as he paced the room.

"Who is it?" Nick demanded as he forced himself to calm down. Getting angry would not bring Sara and Warrick back any quicker. He had to remain in control so that his emotions would not affect this case.

"James Conroy." Catherine spoke up as she closed the lab directory.

"Let's find out what we can about this James Conroy before we bring him in." Nick said seethingly. He didn't wait for an answer and headed down to personnel for his file.

Grissom couldn't believe that someone inside the lab had been involved. But it was one of those cases, they had lots of pieces but they couldn't make them fit. "How does he fit into this picture?" he mused aloud.

Catherine grabbed the file out of his hand and skimmed it quickly. "Why would he sell out Sara and Warrick?" Nick inquired in shock, rubbing his hands through his hair.

"Money?" Grissom guessed. "Revenge?" He offered.

"I'd pick the former." Catherine volunteered joining the conversation. "We investigated his sister once. Or should I say Sara and Warrick investigated his sister." She clarified. "Who?" Grissom demanded in bewilderment.

"Joy Adams." She replied simply. "Her maiden name was Conroy." She explained to her male teammates. Finally some of the pieces were falling into place.

"If they were free, what was the purpose of going after Warrick and Sara?" Catherine brought up angrily, snapping Gil out of his reflective state.

"How did the evidence get thrown out of court?" Grissom thought out loud puzzled at how their case had been aborted because of lack of forensic evidence.

"It must have been doctored." Catherine suggested dreadfully. They all stopped at her thought process. As disturbing as it was, unfortunately they could not argue her point, as they had no better theories themselves.

"All the evidence that comes in goes down to final forensics before heading out to the PD for permanent filing." Archie reminded them.

"And I bet James was the forensics technician on his sister's case." Grissom guessed, and Catherine confirmed with a quick glance at his file.

"So Joy calls her brother and promises him a payout to doctor the evidence." Catherine concluded logically. "And then he could call Joy and let her know when to attack."

"They were sitting ducks." Nick declared in disgust, throwing the file back into the box.

"Let's check his phone records for calls he might have made to his sister. Maybe we can prove that he was an accomplice." Grissom

"Do you think he actually called from the lab?" Greg questioned his supervisor.

"If he has the balls to tamper with evidence, then he's cocky enough to think he can make that call and get away with it." Grissom acknowledged coldly. Nick nodded and headed off to Records to get the phone log. Unfortunately there was no damning evidence from the lab phone records of an outgoing phone calls to the Adams.

"Can we check his cell phone records?" Nick wondered, hoping it would lead them in the direction of Warrick and Sara.

"If he uses a CSI phone we can." Archie found his number in the computer and put a trace on it. "What are we looking for?" he asked to the group.

"I don't know." Nick admitted. "A number that is on there repeatedly." He guessed. "Anything out of the ordinary."

"His sister and him most be very close." Archie observed, "According to the phone records they talked almost three times a week for the last year." He reported as he noted as he scrolled down the phone records.

"Well here's the most recent one listed: "429-703-6552." He ran it through the computer. "No matches." He reported. "Must be unlisted." He replied with a sigh. "I'll run it through the Nevada phone book, but it will take some time." The lab tech reported unhappily.

"Don't worry Arch." Nick comforted the young lab tech, knowing how badly he wanted to crack this case as well. "We'll get them back." He declared.

"That's not the number they called from on Monday." Catherine noticed. "If only we knew where that number was." She wished fervently.

"If we find that number, we find Sara and Warrick." Nick declared confidently.

"When did he make that call?" Catherine interrupted suddenly.

"Yesterday." Archie answered hopefully. "He's still in town." He added as he noted the location of his cell phone.

"Well let's go find James Conroy." Brass declared urgently. Maybe they could get the answers they needed.

"Assuming they were after us, let's go over our old cases." Sara suggested. "Who would want us out of the way?" The two were silent as they ran through their old cases in their minds.

"That lady who killed her daughter and her boyfriend?" Warrick suggested.

"She loves that baby way too much." Sara argued.

"But she's smart." He argued back. They had been unable to press charges because by all accounts it appeared to be a double suicide. A fact that had thoroughly frustrated Sara and Warrick at the time. They continued to run through their list of suspects until exhaustion overtook them.

He laid down first while she went to the bathroom. He was almost asleep when he noticed that she had laid down away from him. Warrick sighed, he feared this would happen. "Sara, we should talk." He said suddenly not feeling so tired. He refused to let her push him away and put up her walls again.

"That's not what you said last night." She muttered as she pulled her arms around herself to keep her warm.

"I know." He agreed. "But I don't want it to be weird between us."

Sara broke the awkward silence. "So let's make it unweird." She suggested, forgoing sleep to resolve their current tension.

"What do you suggest?" He asked suspiciously. One minute he was sure he would have to twist her arm to talk to him, and now she was the one who was in control. He sat up and turned to face the brunette that he realized he didn't know all that well considering the four years they had known each other.

"Tell me about your grandma." She decided softly, leaning against the wall to listen. The stories she had heard had mostly been second hand. She had known his parents had died when he was little, if he wanted to talk about them he would, but she wouldn't ask.

His eyes softened at her request and he leaned back next to her to share with Sara the most important person in the world to him. She watched as his eyes lit up as he talked about his grandmother. She wondered what it would be like if his eyes were to light up that way about her. She shivered involuntarily, though not from the cold. Warrick didn't know that though as he put his arm around her and pulled her close.

"Enough about me." He decided after talking non-stop for about fifteen minutes. "Tell me about your family."

"Well," she began not as nervous as she feared she would be. She wasn't ashamed of her family, it's just that they weren't' as close as anyone else's families seemed to be. Maybe that's why she had been drawn to Grissom in the first place.

"I grew up in San Francisco with my sister and brother and my parents. My parents were both hippies back in the day, though now they run a Bed & Breakfast. My sister Tiffany is more like them, and my brother Jason and I are very different."

"I don't understand why they wouldn't be proud of you. They're your parents." He asked in confusion, remembering their conversation from days ago. He couldn't believe they had been gone for four days already. Though the circumstances were far from ideal, he couldn't complain about the company.

"Different agendas." She replied. "My parents don't care about material things. They have a 'Que Sera' attitude, and they don't understand why Jason and I are so driven to succeed." Sara explained.

"If they figure it out will they please let the Las Vegas crime lab know?" He teased her, referring to her work ethic that was infamous throughout the lab. He was rewarded with her bright smile but she didn't concede his point.

"I like to work hard." She said in her defense. "For me, it's not about the money; I care about my victims."

"We all do. But sometimes you've got to let it go." He advised. Warrick had witnessed her involvement in cases that stretched her to her emotional brink. He knew the dangers of being too one-dimensional, if all you had was your work, it was easy to get consumed and burned out.

"I speak from experience Sar." He admitted. "It doesn't matter if its work or gambling, or even a relationship, but just one of those things isn't going to completely fulfill you." Sara dwelled on his advice. "It does for Grissom." She protested weakly.

Warrick rolled his eyes as to say, 'that's all you got?' "Then why was he so eager to spend time with Lady Heather?" Warrick questioned. "He keeps denying the fact that he needs things that work can't give him. "Besides he's not normal." He joked. Sara couldn't argue that point.

"I don't want to be like that." She confessed quietly. "I thought I did once, but not anymore." Tears flowed down her face. "You're not like that Sar." Warrick disagreed with her. "I know there's more to you than work." He reminded her.

"I just wonder if anyone's missing me out there." She revealed her insecurities to this man who had managed to break down most of her walls. She found him insightful and understanding of her in a way that no one else had ever been.

"Grissom and Greg are working all hours to find us and I'm sure Nicky and Catherine are out of their minds with worry." Warrick said to soothe her fears.

"And if I weren't here, I would be going crazy. I wouldn't be able to sleep, knowing you were missing and knowing I never told you how I felt." He disclosed tenderly as he brushed her disheveled hair away from her face. Though they were both pretty filthy from not showering for four days, he still found her beautiful.

"And how do you feel?" She whispered hopefully, looking straight into his green eyes. She almost gasped when she noticed that they lit up, surprised that she realized he really cared for her. His next words confirmed her feelings.

He paused before answering. "I'm crazy about you." He declared boldly. "You drive me to distraction sometimes. When you're this close to me, I can't barely think." He confessed openly. His thoughtful and kind words touched her. This time the tears the flowed were tears of happiness. He removed his one hand from hers to tenderly brush the tears away but he didn't pull it away from her soft cheek, holding it there as he gazed at her intently.

"We don't have to think now do we?" Sara said as she gathered up all her courage to kiss this man who she admired greatly. His answer was lost when she placed her soft lips on his and the two forgot the horrific situation they were in as they kissed their tension away.

They broke apart a few minutes later, and when Warrick laid down to get some well-needed rest, Sara didn't hesitate to climb into his arms. She laid her head on his chest, the sound of his heart beating lulling her to sleep. Warrick took a final minute to enjoy the serenity of this moment, holding this woman in his arms, and hoping he'd never have to let her go. A small smile was on his lips as fatigue overcame him and he fell into a peaceful slumber.


	6. Observations

Pieces6

Observations

"Uhhn." Sara groaned in her sleep as she tossed about in her sleep. Her movements disrupted Warrick's peaceful rest, a fact that wasn't appreciated by him until he noticed the beads of sweat that had formed on her forehead. Instinctively he moved his hand cautiously to her face and was alarmed when he found it burning hot to the touch.

Now he was fully awake. "Sara." He begged her to wake up from her feverish sleep. He bent his head closer to discover her shallow breathing. He was determined to wake her. "Sara!" he shouted as he gently but firmly shook her slight body. A fact that was exasperated by their lack of food and water.

She coughed violently as her eyes flew open. It was then that she realized how terrible that she felt. She had wondered if it were all some sort of nightmare. Unfortunately, it wasn't. Moaning she curled up into a ball as if that would make the pain go away.

"Drink this." He demanded, placing the water bottle to her lips, encouraging her to drink it. He managed to coax a few sips into her as he pulled the weakened woman into his arms and waited as she caught her breath, and her coughing to cease. She closed her eyes, but he refused to sleep, instead keeping close watch over this woman who had come to mean so much to him.

Warrick hated himself for not taking better care of her; he should have been paying attention attention to her health, not his physiological needs. As fear for her health increased so did his doubts of escape. Did anyone even know where they were? Why was it taking so long to find them? He pushed those alarming thoughts out of the way, but they refused to obey, still lingering in the back of his mind. He began praying instead for release. He wasn't sure how much longer they could hold out, especially Sara though she wouldn't admit it.

Brass drove Grissom, Nick, and Catherine to 17 Peakview Dr. The car was filled with a tense silence as the foursome made their way off the strip. All were caught up in their own thoughts.

Grissom was skeptical. He didn't want to believe that Sara and Warrick were dead, but someone had to be realistic. Skepticism gave way to anger as he vowed justice on whoever had done this to part of his family. He had not so fond memories of his own family, but somehow the last four years had changed his mind about caring for people.

Catherine was more hopeful than Grissom, but the evidence just wasn't there yet. She wasn't sure they could trust James' testimony, but at that point it was all they had.

Nick was having doubts. 'What if they were already too late?' The thought of his two friends ambushed and killed and abandoned made his stomach churn and his blood run cold. "Brass-pull over." He commanded from the back seat. Brass immediately brought the vehicle to an abrupt halt. Before he could quiz him why, Nick was out of the vehicle and doubled over as he vomited. When he was certain he had emptied his entire stomach's contents onto the grass, he climbed back into the car. His stubborn look of fierce determination on his face convinced Grissom he was well enough to continue with the investigation.

A '**For Sale**' Sign caught their attention as they turned onto Peakview Drive. "That must be it." Catherine concluded without having to check the number on the house.

"James Conroy?" Brass asked when the door opened to reveal a young man with a shaggy appearance. The man nodded reluctantly. Catherine decided that he didn't look too surprised. Nick wanted to knock this punk down. He recognized him from work and always assumed that he was a quiet, unassuming man. 'Well, you know what you get when you assume.' he thought bitterly.

"Looks like you're moving." Grissom commented as they entered the house. "Might as well fire your realtor. We've got a nice one bed/one bath downtown."

"James Conroy, you're under arrest for the kidnapping of CSI's Sara Sidle and Warrick Brown. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can be used against you in the court of law..." Jim Brass announced as he handcuffed the man and led him away to the waiting squad car.

Grissom and Brass escorted him into the private room, while Nick and Catherine watched behind the two-way mirror. James was quiet in the interrogation room. "I hope you don't think your sister and brother in law are going to bail you out of jail." Brass declared with a smirk. If James was surprised by their knowledge, he didn't show it, choosing to remain cold and impassive.

"You know I hope you keep up this façade." Grissom decided. "Maybe the jury will keep you in jail as long as Joy and Johnny." He declared forcefully. Now James was unable to hide his fear. They sounded so certain that they'd catch them. The look didn't escape Grissom or Brass either.

"How much did they pay you?" Brass pressed. "Half a million? More?" He suggested to the young accomplice as he strolled around the room.

Figuring he couldn't escape their questions he answered,"$250,000."

"So that's the going rate for cops these days." Catherine commented to Nick in disgust as they watched the suspect squirm under the intensity of Grissom and Brass. Nick felt helpless watching the interrogation and decided to check on the evidence back in the lab with Catherine following close behind.

"I'd say you got screwed pal." Brass stated simply. "You got the shaft with the money and now you're in jail." He observed.

"You'd better hope and pray that those two investigators are still alive," Grissom threatened with all sincerity. "Because if not, I will not rest until you spend every last minute of your life behind bars." He vowed purposefully. To his credit he did seem somewhat terrified of the CSI supervisor.

"The balls in your court now." Brass declared. "You help us, we help you." He promised.

The silence seemed interminable, but finally he spoke. "I don't know much." He admitted. Grissom and Brass didn't buy his story. "Honest." James affirmed under their scrutiny. "They paid me to tamper with evidence and to tell them when they were alone. I heard about the policemen's ball and called Joy."

"Do you know where they are?" Brass interrogated sharply.

"They're near Lake Tahoe." James told them reluctantly, hating to rat out his sister, who had been his only family for most of his life.

"Your parents house." Grissom guessed correctly. He flipped open the Adams file they had been studying relentlessly for the past few days to get the address.

"I want a lawyer." James complained as he realized the chaos around him. "Hewitt, take him to the phone before processing." Brass ordered the young policeman who was in the room. He nodded and led the young man down the hallway.

Brass left the room and got on his radio. "Attention all units: Missing CSI's Brown and Sidle suspected to be in the Lake Tahoe area. All available units proceed to 147 Willow Walk." He commanded sharply as he rushed to his vehicle.

"Catherine, Nick Let's go!" Grissom yelled into the lab. They looked up startled but followed immediately. "Where are we going?" Catherine asked quizzically.

"Lake Tahoe." He replied hurriedly, running faster than he probably had in his life. At least in the last five years, he amended. But Sara and Warrick had been missing for 4 days now, eclipsing the ever-important 72-hour mark, and time was ticking.

"Have we found them?" Nick asked hopefully. "We've got a lead." Was all that Grissom would say, not wanting to get their hopes up too high. It could turn out to be a dead end, but so far it was the only road they had to travel.

He was relieved when she awoke a few hours later, her fever apparently haven broken. "Are you okay?" he asked in concern as she stared up at him, eyes forcing themselves open. She smiled reassuringly at him as she saw the tender look on his face as he stared intently down at her. She made herself sit up, reluctantly untangling herself from his embrace, and stretching her weary muscles.

"I'm fine." She whispered when his look of disbelief told her he didn't believe her. "You, however look like you need some rest." She noted as she saw the strained look on his face. He tried to protest, but he couldn't fool her. He chuckled when their roles were reversed with her taking care of him. She gently pulled on his shoulder to encourage him to lie down, which he did with no further protests.

"What are you thinking?" She asked quietly as she ran her fingers through his coarse hair as she laid his head in her lap. He was surprised that she noticed, considering how well he hid everything from everyone else.

"Don't look so surprised, I've spent the last few days picking up a few things." Sara commented with a laugh when she noticed his inquisitive stare. "Like what?" he asked teasingly, daring her to reply.

"Well, when you're nervous you stick your hands in your pockets, and when you're thinking about something seriously you chew on your bottom lip." She gently traced his lips with her finger. "Or when you're really excited how your eyes light up like a Christmas tree, or how you try to pretend like you weren't looking at me, and how even when you're mad, you're not really mad." She offered up as proof as she rested her case with a knowing grin.

"Don't think that will hold up in court." He teased her affectionately. She was about to protest when he grabbed her hand and pressed it to his lips before continuing. "Well you're not the only one who's been paying attention." He remarked with a smile.

Her eyebrows shot up in response, waiting to hear his observations. "I know that you like to cuddle when you sleep," she blushed at that comment, thinking about how quickly they had become so intimate. "Or how you think you're not beautiful. But you are." He began listing off his observations as he twined his fingers with hers.

"Or how your voice gets all deep and sexy when you're flirting with me. And how soft your lips are to touch." He murmured as his hand had moved up her arm to the base of her neck to pull her down to him to show her his proof.

This time Sara was the one to stay awake until she was sure that he had fallen asleep, the steady rhythm of his heart beating slowly lulling her to sleep with one arm casually tossed over his chest and her head nestled into the crevice of his neck. Unknowingly he moved his arm to lie on her hip, his hand gently but firmly holding her in place.

James looked around and noticed he was all by himself, the cop chatting up another young woman cop a few feet away. Dialing the familiar number, he was relieved when he heard the familiar voice pick up. "Hey Joy, its me. The cops know everything, they're on the way." He warned her, his loyalty to his sister too high to not tell her. He hung up quickly and followed the officer down to the processing part of the station where he would be booked.

The young woman on the other side of the telephone was troubled at the new information. "Johnny, we've got a problem." She reported to her husband as she hung up the phone.


End file.
